My 1974 304 CJ5 is hard to start cold or hot, have to crank it several times before she fires up, like she is not getting gas, I have to pump the accelerator pedal once even when she is warmed up.
I have installed a new fuel filter, fuel pump, hoses, new rebuilt MC2100 carb and a hi-torque starter, new battery with new cables.
I have tuned the carb with a vac gauge and I am getting a reading of 20 on the dial, she idles and drives fine all day long she is just hard to start.
I have also done the team rush upgrade, with new wires and spark plugs with a .042 gap.
Any ideas would be most appreciated.

take the carb breather top off, have a buddy pump the carb a few times,

see if you have gas being pumped into the carb.

if not, your gas may be leaking back into the tank and the pump is having to pump the fuel back up to carb before you have fuel to start the engine,

I have the one in/two out fuel filter on my 1984 jeep, if you position the outside out, outlet at any position other than 12:00 high, the system will syphon fuel out of the carb and send it back to the tank.

after setting for awhile, the motor will be hard to start until fuel is pumped back into the carb.

you may not have this system.

do you have a hot coil, new plugs, good wires

if you have gas, spark and compression, the motor should be trying to start as it turns over.
even a motor out of time will try to start.

I understand yours is just turning over and over with no start.

I would check the lack of fuel first.

after your next trip, as soon as you stop driving the jeep, get out and take off the gas tank cap, listen for a whish sound, the tank cap may no longer be vented (stopped up) and is building up a vacuum.

this built up vacuum is sucking your gas out of carb back to the tank after you stop driving??????

just fishing here, but we have nothing better at this time. this happens sometimes on old farm tractors with vented tank caps, the vac in the tank gets so strong gas will no long flow to the carb. (they do not have fuel pumps) so they just stop running as they are out of gas to carb.

your fuel pump may be able to pull fuel to the motor, but after you cut the motor off, the fuel may be pulled back to the tank???????????

keep looking and let us know what you find.

be sure as you are turning over the motor that you have fire to the plugs?

Thanks for replies, the jeep always starts it just seems to take a lot of cranking before she fires but she does fire, this was not always the case, I used to be able to just touch the key and she would fire right up.
I did observe a stream of gas when I depress the acc. pedal.
I was wondering if the float was set too low and not allowing enough gas into the bowl?
Like I said I have a brand new fuel pump, fuel filter ( filter on my jeep only has an inlet and an outlet ) this has always been the case since I have owned it and it was not an issue.
Brand new 8mm accel wires, brand new spark plugs, I did the team rush upgrade last summer with e-core coil and msd ignition box and new distributor.
Also have a high torque starter, new battery and the Carb is a new rebuilt one from carb exchange.
I have done all the fine tuning on the carb with a vac gauge and she will run awesome and idle just fine all day long.
I did recently put a new locking gas cap on the jeep and it is an airtight fit when it is locked, I might try putting the original gas cap back on and see if that improves anything.

I had my old jeep timing set just right, but it would not start good or idle good.

so, I just kept working with it, 2 degrees at a time, until I got better or worst results.
not high tech science, but it worked for me and my old jeep.

now it may have to turn over a bit, if you have not driven it in a few days, but once started, from then on, it starts almost as soon as you turn the starter and if you drive it every day, it always starts right up,

might just try this, adjusting timing up or down 2 degrees at a time, should not hurt anything as long as you do not go wild.

but you might find the sweet spot for your engine and setup.

good luck,

I know it rough, having a nice looking girl agree to a ride in your jeep and then you have to grind on it for 5 mins. to get it started.

Another thing to look at is the fuel valve on the carb mine did this just took it off and cleaned it. But also if you have a vacc leak in te bottom of the carb could also do this or if the air fuel is set too lean

I am going to play with the timing again today.
Carb is a brand new rebuild.
I have checked for vac leaks with carb cleaner around base, I also changed out all the vac hoses for new ones when I installed the carb.
Can't find any leaks.
I'll let you know if timing improves anything, of coarse I will be working in 100 degree heat today

Ok I think I have solved the problem, I did two things, I removed the locking gas cap and replaced with the original cap.
I then took my battery to Advance auto where I purchased it and turns out the battery was faulty, they replaced the battery for free and now she wants to start before I have a chance to release the key.
I also went with a higher cranking amps battery.